Longhorn Transformation Pack

[blobrana]

Do you want to try out Vista - yet still have the stability of your XP?

Well, the Longhorn Transformation Pack version 4 has been released.
The long running project has updated the name to Vista now. As usual, this will transform your XP OS to have sidebars and see through windows etc...(or turned off as required)

Changes in Version 4.0
-Added batch-script blocking detection function (No more transforming with batch problems)
-Added closing explorer.exe to prevent conflicts in Repairing and Uninstalling
-Added Logoff/Shutdown button text removing option
-Added Progress message for Repairing and Uninstalling
-Added repair mode option (to repair only updates files with backing up or all files without backing up)
-Added some Vista 536x wallpapers
-Added un-official Windows Vista sounds by digitalfive.org
-Added Vista.ru's Windows Media Player 11 (codename Eclipse) skin
-Added Vista System Properties dialog
-Added Vista Transformation Pack FAQ (contributed by members in forum)
-Added Windows drive icon
-Fixed font changing bug
-Fixed icons bug in shell32.dll
-Fixed losing updated files after transformation from repairing
-Fixed operating system detection bug in maintenance centre
-Fixed WindowBlinds 5 installation path
-Removed First-Run transformation mode to prevent confusions
-Removed Longhorn and unused stuffs (developed from Lite branch)
-Removed Longhorn SideBar due to discontinued and couple of bugs
-Updated Rebuild Icon Cache program to use Visual Basic 6 Runtime
-Updated Vista Boot Screen to beta 2 inspired
-Updated Vista file processing dialog
-Updated Vista icons to build 5365
-Updated Vista LogonUI to build 5365
-Updated Vista Progress dialog
-Updated Vista Toolbar style options
-Updated Vista tray icons
-Updated visual styles
-Fixed CaptionButton positioning bug in "Aero Style (Vista - Beta 1)"
-Fixed CaptionButton transparency bug in WindowBlinds skin
-Fixed Horizontal shellstyle bug in Beta 2
-Fixed Logoff/Shutdown button alignment in Beta themes and WindowBlinds skin
-Fixed ListviewHeader background
-Fixed PlaceItem positioning bug
-Fixed StartButton bugs
-Fixed TabItem border in WindowBlinds skin
-Fixed UserPicture positioning bug
-Updated Glass border in visual styles WindowBlinds skin (Actual 5342 port)
-Updated ListBox background in WindowBlinds skin
-Updated shellstyles in Beta 2 visual styles with awesome mods!
-Updated StartButton in Beta 2 visual styles
-Updated StartPanel in Beta 2 visual styles
-Updated Shutdown/Logoff button in StartPanel
-Updated TabItem
-Updated ToolBarBackground
-Updated ToolBarButtons
-Updated UserPicture background to common ones

Download: Vista Transformation Pack 4.0
(14.61mb)

(i must mention i`ve tried version 3 on a test machine for several months now  and it`s great)

[blobrana]

Hum,
yeah, it is just a cosmetic skin effect for  XP, (on a PC).

But there are a few features such as the see-through windows , (and RSS sidebar for example) that speed up your productivity.

Obviously, this will require a fairly fast PC, (I for example have CPU/GPU cycles to spare, so don't notice any slowdown.), but  if you are stuck in front of a computer screen all day then it certainly makes it more pleasurable.

[blobrana]

@weirdami

Hum,
i guess yeah,
It had to happen...

@Piru
i know what you mean.
The first thing I did with Windows XP was to turn off the new colourful skin too.

But the see-through bits are quite handy. If i were to type this reply on a word processor, and actually be able to read what I'm replying to through the window, rather than having to click to bring hidden windows forwards and back again...
(but i guess that's just my goldfish brain).

i would say that,  for me, the extra eyecandy is worth it ;  i could for example run my windows colours in 16  bit, but i prefer to run it in 32 bit.. i take a performance hit but, hey, I'm worth it....

[blobrana]

@X-ray
is your bootup time more than 30 seconds?
(ie, perhaps your machine is loading up the OS/prefetch into memory)
Try BootVis if it is a long bootup time.

But it sounds like you`re running a no virtual memory system (er, which is good)...Have a look again at the memsettings.

System properties-advanced--performance settings--advanced--xxx
 
---------------

BTW,
Here is a link to Glass2k (54kb) the standalone transparent .exe bit in the transformation pack at

www.chime.tv/

Just run it at boot time (or double click to start. Read the  instructions  to see which  hot keys to press to activate and increase the visibility...(or the settings on the tray icon)

Its stable and small.